Reading section 26

When Brahmā had said this, the supreme deity plucked off two hairs, one white and one black and said to the celestials—"These my hairs shall go down upon earth and shall relieve her of the burden of her distress. Let all the deities, in their own portions, descend upon earth and fight with the proud Asuras who are there assembled and every one of them shall be slain. Doubt not this—they shall be destroyed by the withering glance of my eyes. This, my black hair, shall be impersonated in the eighth conception of the goddess-like Devaki, the wife of Vasudeva and shall destroy Kansa, who is the demon Kālanemi". Having said this, Hari disappeared and the celestials, bowing to him, though invisible, went back to the summit of the mount Meru from where they came down on earth.

Thereupon the illustrious Muni Nārada said that, the supporter of the earth, Vishnu, would be the eighth child of Devaki, Hearing this from Nārada, Kansa greatly excited with wrath, kept Vasudeva and Devaki in secret confinement.

According to his promise Vasudeva delivered to Kansa each infant as soon as it was born. It is said these, to the number of six, were the children of the demon Hiranya-Kasipu, introduced into the womb of Devaki by Yogonidra, at the behest of Vishnu, who was his illusory energy and by whom the whole world is beguiled, and who is known as utter ignorance. The great god said to her—"Go, Nidrā, to the nether regions and by my command introduce there six princes to the womb of Devaki. When these shall be destroyed by Kansa, the seventh conception shall be a portion of Sesha, who is a portion of me. There is another wife of Vasudeva in Gokula named Rohini and this you shall transfer to her, before the time of birth. The rumour shall be that Devaki miscarries through the anxiety of imprisonment and dread of the king of Bhojas. And on account of his being extracted from his mother's womb, the child shall be designated Sankarshana and he shall be like the peak of the white mountain in bulk and complexion. I shall myself then descend in the eighth auspicious conception of Devaki and you shall immediately enter into the womb of Yasoda. In the night of the eighth lunation of the dark half of the month of Nabhas in the season of the rains, I shall be born. You will be born on the ninth. Being aided by my energy Vasudeva shall carry me to the bed of Yasoda and you to that of Devaki. When Kansa shall dash you against a stone, O worshipful dame, you shall attain to the sky and then the thousand-eyed Indra, out of reverence for me, shall bow unto you and shall accept you as his sister. Having destroyed Sumbha and Nisumbha and thousands of other Daityas you shall sanctify the earth in many places. You are wealth, progeny, fame, patience, heaven and earth, fortitude, modesty, nutrition, dawn and every other female (form or virtue). Those, who shall reverentially invoke you, morning and evening, and praise and call you Aryā, Durgā, Vedagarbhā, Ambica, Bhadrā, Bhadrakālikā, Kshemi, or Kshemankari, shall receive, by my grace, whatever they desire. And pleased with their offerings of wine and flesh and various other kinds you shall gratify the prayers of mankind. By my favour all men shall have perpetual faith in you. Assured of this, go, goddess, and satisfy my orders!"

SECTION II.

Being thus ordered by the god of gods, Jagadhatri (the nurse of the universe) transferred six embryos into the womb of Devaki. And the seventh conception was conveyed into the womb of Rohini after which Hari, for the behoof of the three worlds, entered into the womb of Devaki. And as commanded by the great god, Yogonidrā, on that very day entered into the womb of Yasoda. The portion of Vishnu having descended on earth, the planets moved in auspicious order and the seasons became regular and genial. No body could gaze upon Devaki, invested with light—and beholding her thus dazzling, the minds of the people were disturbed. The celestials, invisible to men and women alike, chanted the praises of Devaki, day and night, from the time that Vishnu entered into her person. They said—"Thou art that Prakriti infinite and subtile, which formerly bore Brahmā in its womb. O nurse of the universe, thou art his words—from thee have sprung the Vedas, O fair damsel, O thou existing perpetually, thou art the very creation and in thy womb is the Sun: thou art the seed of all—thou art the parent of the tri-form Sacrifice. Thou art Sacrifice whence all fruit proceeds—thou art wood whose attrition creates fire. As Aditi thou art the mother of the celestials, as Diti thou art the mother of the Daityas their foes. Thou art light which creates day-thou art humility—the mother of true wisdom; thou art royal policy the mother of order—thou art modesty the mother of affection. Thou art desire from whom love is produced—thou art contentment from which resignation is produced; thou art intelligence, the mother of knowledge, thou art patience the parent of fortitude; thou art heavens whose children are stars, and from thee proceeds all that exists. These and thousand others are thy mighty faculties, O goddess; and numberless are the contents of thy womb, O mother of the universe. That Vishnu, whose real form, nature, name, dimensions are above human conception, is in thy womb, with whom are identical the whole earth, embellished with oceans, rivers, continents, cities, villages, hamlets, towns; all the fires, waters and winds, the stars, asterisms and planets, the sky abounding in variegated cars of the celestials and ether that provides space for all substance; the spheres of earth, sky and heaven; of saints, sages, ascetics and of Brahmā: the white egg of Brahmā, with all its populations of Gods, demons, spirits, snake-gods, fiends, demons, ghosts and imps, men and animals, and whatever creatures have life. Thou art Swahā, thou art Swadhā, thou art wisdom, ambrosia, light and heaven. Thou hast descended upon earth for the preservation of the universe. Have pity upon us, O goddess, and do good unto the world. Be proud of bearing that deity by whom the universe is upheld".

SECTION III.

Parāçara said;—Being thus eulogised by the celestials; Devaki conceived in her womb the lotus-eyed deity—the saviour of the universe. The sun of Achyuta rose in the dawn of Devaki to cause the lotus-petal of the universe to expand. On the day of his birth, all the quarters were lighted up with joy and it gave delight to all people like unto the rays of the moon.

The pious obtained new delight; the strong wind were pacified and the river flowed silently when Janārddana was about to be born. The oceans made music with their murmurings, the Gandharvas began to sing and the Apsaras began to dance. At the time of Janārddana's birth the celestials, stationed in the sky, began to pour flowers and the holy fires glowed with a mild flame. At midnight, when the supporter of all was about to be born, the clouds began to emit low sounds and pour down rain of flowers.

As soon as Anakadundhubhi saw the child, looking like full-blown lotus-petals, having four arms and the mystic mark Sribatsa an his breast; he began to chant his glories in terms of love and respect and represented the fears he entertained of Kansa. Vasudeva said, "I have known thee, O sovereign lord of the celestials, O thou the holder of conch, discus and mace. Be pleased to withhold this thy celestial form, for Kansa will surely destroy me when he will know that thou hast descended in my dwelling". Devaki said,—"God of gods, who art identical with all things, in whose person all the religions of the world exist and who, by illusion, hast assumed the condition of an infant, have pity me, withold thy four-armed shape. Let not Kansa, the wicked son of Diti, know of this birth".

To this Bhagavat replied—"O worshipful dame, I was worshipped by thee before to be born as thy son. Thy prayers have now been granted and I am now born as thy son". So saying he was silent and Vasudeva, taking the babe, went out the same night. The guards and gate-keepers of Mathura were all charmed by Yoganidrā and none of them obstructed the passage of Anakadundhubhi. It was raining heavily at that time and the many-headed serpent Sesha followed Vasudeva spreading his hoods above their heads. And when he, with the child in his arms, crossed the Yamuna, deep as it was and dangerous with numerous whirlpools, the waters were silent and rose not above his knee. On the bank he saw Nanda and others who had come there to bring tribute to Kansa, but they did not see him. At that time Yasoda was also influenced by Yoganidrā, whom she had given birth as her daughter and whom the wise Vasudeva took up, placing his son in her place by the side of the mother. He then speedily came back home. When Yasoda awoke, she found she had been delivered of a boy as black as the dark lotus-leaves; and she was greatly delighted.

Vasudeva, taking the female child of Yasoda, reached his house unperceived and placed the child in the bed of Devaki. He then remained as usual. The guards were awakened by the cry of the new-born babe and starting up they informed Kansa that Devaki had given birth to a child. Kansa immediately went to the house of Vasudeva where he got hold of the infant. Devaki faintingly prevented him, crying out again and again—"Do not destroy it! Do not destroy it". Kansa dashed it against a stone; it at once went up to the sky and expanded into a gigantic figure, having eight arms each bearing a formidable weapon. This terrible figure laughed and said to Kansa. "What benefit have you derived, O Kansa, by hurling me to the ground? He is born who shall destroy thee, the mighty one amongst celestials, who was formerly the destroyer, Considering this do thou accomplish what shall tend to thy welfare". Having said this, the goddess, decorated with heavenly unguents and garlands, and glorified by the spirits of the air, disappeared from the sight of the king of the Bhojas.

SECTION IV.

Parāçara said:—Kansa, greatly disturbed in mind, called together all the leading Asuras, Pralamba, Kesin and others and said to them—"O ye, leading Asuras, Pralamba, Dhenuka, Putanā, Arishta and all others, hear my words. O heroes, the wicked celestials, troubled by my power, have been trying to destroy me—but I do not much care for them. Save murdering the Asuras by fraud, what can the weak Indra and the ascetic Hara or Hari do? What have we to fear from the Adityas, the Vasus, the Agnis or any other of the immortals who have all been defeated by my resistless arms? Have you not seen the king of the celestials, when he had come out into the conflict, quickly fly from the field receiving my arrows upon his back, not bravely upon his breast? When Indra withheld rains from my kingdom, were not the clouds compelled by my arrows to pour water as much as was acquired? Are not all the kings of the earth afraid of my prowess and subject to my orders, save my father Jarasandha? O ye leading and heroic Daityas, I have already got hatred towards the celestials—it has created my laughter that they have been trying to slay me. And it is my fixed determination to inflict still deeper degradation upon those vicious and wicked-minded celestials.

"Let us therefore kill every man who is known for liberality (in making gifts to gods and Brāhmans) and let every man who is celebrated for performing sacrifices be slain; and thus the celestials shall the deprived of the means they live upon. The goddess, who has taken her birth as the child of Devaki, has said to me that he is again born who destroyed me in one of my previous birth. Let us vigorously find out all young children upon earth and let every boy in whom there are signs of unusual vigour, be killed mercilessly".

Having passed these orders Kansa went to his palace and liberated Vasudeva and Devaki from their captivity. He said to them.—"In vain have I killed all your children, for he, who is destined to kill me, has escaped. It is useless to regret the the past. The children, who shall be born to you after this, may enjoy life till its natural close; no one shall cut it short". Having thus consoled them, Kansa, greatly terrified for himself, went into the inner apartments of his palace.

SECTION V.

When Vasudeva was freed, he went to the wagon of Nanda and found him greatly delighted that a son was born to him. He then kindly said to him "It is a blessing that you have got a son in your old age. Have you given your annual tribute to the king? If you have finished your work, you should not wait here for you are men of property. Why do you wait here since the work that has brought you, is finished? Go therefore, speedily, O Nanda, to your Gokula. I have also got a son there, born of Rohini, and he should be brought up by you as this your own son".

Parāçara said:—Thus having paid their dues to the king and placed their goods in their wagons, Nanda and other cow-herds went to their village. And while they were thus living in Gokula, Putanā the child-killer, taking up Krishna, asleep in night, gave him her breast to suck. And whatever child is suckled by Putanā in night, dies instantly having its limbs wearied and exhausted. But laying hold of the breast with two hands, Krishna sucked it with such violence that he drained it of the life and the terrible Putanā, roaring aloud and giving way in every point, fell on the ground dead. Hearing those cries, the inhabitants of Vraja, terrified, got up and saw Putanā lying on the earth with Krishna in her arms. Snatching up Krishna, Yasoda waved over him a cow-tail-brush to guard him from harm, whilst Nanda placed dried cow-dung powdered upon his head; he gave him also an amulet, saying at the same time—"May Hari the lord of creation, he, from the lotus of whose navel the world was produced and on the tip of whose tusks the globe was upraised from waters, protect thee. May that Kesava, who assumed the form of a boar, protect thee. May that Kesava, who, as the man-lion, rent with his sharp nails, the bosom of his foe, save thee. May that Kesava, who appearing first as the dwarf, traversed with all his power with three paces, the three regions of the universe, constantly protect thee. May Govinda guard thy belly, Janarddana thy legs and feet, the eternal and irresistible Nārāyana thy face, thine arms, thy mind and thy faculties of sense. May all ghosts, goblins and malignant spirits, that shall be engaged in thy mischief, be destroyed by the bow, the discus, the mace, the sword of Vishnu and the by echo of his conch shell. May Vaikuntha guard thee in thy cardinal points and Madhusudana in the intermediate ones. May Hrishikesha defend thee in the sky and Mahidhara upon earth". Having recited these prayers to avert all evil, Nanda caused the child to sleep in his bed underneath the wagon. Seeing the huge carcass of Putanā the cow-herds were filled with surprise and fear.

SECTION VI.

Parāçara said Once on a time while the slayer of Madhu was asleep underneath the wagon, he cried for the breast and kicking up his feet he overturned the vehicle and all the pots and pans were upset and broken. Hearing the noise the wives of the cow-herds came exclaiming—"Ah! Ah!" and there they found the child sleeping on his back. "Who could have overturned the wagon?" exclaimed the cow-herds. "That child" said some of the boys who saw the circumstance. "We saw him," said the boys, "crying and kicking the wagon and so the wagon was upset; no one else had anything to do with it".

The cow-herds were therefore greatly surprised and not knowing what to do Nanda at once took up the boy and Yasoda offered worship to the broken pieces of pots and to the wagon, with curds, flowers, fruits and unbruised grain.

Being commissioned by Vasudeva, Garga performed the initiatory rites of the two boys secretly in Vraja. The eldest was named Rāma and the other Krishna by the wise Garga, the foremost of the intelligent. In a short time they began to crawl about the ground, supporting themselves on their hands and knees and creeping everywhere, often amidst ashes and filth. Neither Rohini nor Yasoda was able to prevent them from getting into the cow-pens or amongst the calves, where they amused themselves by pulling their tails. When Yasoda could not prevent the two boys, who always rambled together, from playing naughtily, she became angry and taking up a stick remonstrated with Krishna having eyes like lotus-petals. Fastening a cord round his waist she tied him to the wooden mortar and being angry, she said to him "Now you wicked boy, get away from here, if you can". Having said this, she went about her domestic affairs. As soon as she had gone, the lotus-eyed Krishna, trying to extricate himself, pulled the mortar after him to the space between the two Arjuna trees that grew near together. Being dragged there the mortar became wedged between the two trees, and Krishna having pulled it, the two huge trees covered with many leaves, were uprooted. Hearing the cracking noise the inhabitants of Vraja came to see what was the matter and there they beheld the two huge trees with broken branches and stems lying on the ground with the child fixed between them, with a rope round his belly, laughing and shewing his white teeth, just budded. It is from this that Krishna is called Dāmodara from the binding of dama (rope) round his udara (belly). The elders among the cow-herds, with Nanda at their head, looked upon these circumstances with alarm, considering them as inauspicious signs. They said—"We cannot remain in this place—let us go to some other part of the forest Here many evil omens threaten us with destruction—the death of Putanā, the upsetting of the wagon and the fall of the trees without their being uprooted by the wind. Let us go away from here without any delay and go to Vrindavana, where evil omens may no longer disturb us".

Having thus made up their minds, the inhabitants of Vraja communicated their intention to their families and desired them to go without delay. Accordingly they started with their wagons and their cattle, driving before them their bulls and cows and calves; they threw away the fragments of their household stores and in no time Vraja was overspread with flights of crows. Vrindavana was selected by Krishna, who was above the influence of actions, for the sake of providing for the nourishment of the kine, for there in the hottest season the new grass springs up as profusely as the rains. Having gone to Vrindavana from Vraja, the inhabitants of the latter up their wagons in the form of a crescent.

As the two boys Rāma and Damodara grew up, they lived always together in the same place and engaged in the same boyish sports. They made themselves crests of the peacocks' plumes and garlands of forest flowers and musical instruments of reeds and leaves or played upon the pipes used by cowherds; their hair was arranged like the wings of the crow, and they looked like two young princes and portions of the god of war. They were robust, and walked about always laughing and playing sometimes with each other, sometimes with other boys; driving, along with other young cowherds, the calves to the pasture. Thus the two protectors of the universe were keepers of cattle until they became seven years old in the cow-pens of Vrindavana.

Then began the rainy season when the atmosphere was full of clouds and the quarters of the horizon were blended into one by the driving showers. The water of the rivers rose and overflowed their banks, and spread beyond all limits like the mind of the weak and wicked transported beyond restraint by sudden prosperity. The pure radiance of the moon was obscured by heavy vapours as the teachings of the sacred writings are darkened by the arrogant scoffs of the unbelievers. The bow of Indra held its place unstrung in the sky like a worthless person elevated to honour by an indiscreet king. White line of storks appeared upon the back of the clouds in such contrast as the bright conduct of a man of respectability opposes to the conduct of a scoundrel. The ever-fickle lightning, being newly allied with the sky, was like the friendship of a profligate for a man of substance. Overgrown by the spreading grain, the paths became difficult of being traced like the words of the ignorant carrying no definite meaning.

Krishna and Rāma, delighted, began to live in the forest in that beautiful season maddening the peacocks and bees. Sometimes they sang and danced with the cow-herds and sometimes sat under the cool shade of a huge tree for rest. Sometimes they beautified themselves with garlands of Kadamba flowers and again with garlands of peacocks' feathers; sometimes they painted themselves with the minerals of the mountain; sometimes they slept on beds of leaves and sometimes they rejoiced with the infants of the cow-herds, hearing the muttering of the clouds; sometimes they praised the songs of the boys, sometimes mimicked the cry the peacocks and sometimes played on pipes.

Thus greatly attached to each other and participating, in various emotions and sports, Rāma and Krishna delightedly resided in that forest. And every evening they used to come back home like two cow-boys along with the cows and cow-herds. And coming home in the evening, the two deities heartily engaged in sports giving delight to the sons of the cow-herds.

SECTION VII.

Parāçara said:—Once on a time Krishna went to Vrindavana, without Balarāma; and there, adorned with garlands of wild flowers, roamed he, encircled by the cow-herds, He then repaired to the banks of Kalindi, undulating and sparkling with foam and as if smiling when the waves dashed against the banks. There he saw the pool with the dreadful serpent Kāliya, boiling with the fires of poison. By the touch of that poison the huge trees on the banks were withered and being touched by the waters raised by the wind the birds were scorched. Beholding that dreadful serpent, like the second mouth of death, the illustrious Slayer of Mahdhu thought—"Forsooth, the wicked and poisonous serpent Kāliya lives here, who, being defeated by me, was constrained to leave the ocean whose waters were defiled. By him the waters of the Yamuna, flowing to the ocean, have been poisoned, and the thirsty cows and cow-herds cannot satisfy their thirst. I must slay this serpent, so that the inhabitants of Vraja may live here happily freed from fear. I have descended upon the land of mortals to chastise the wicked, led astray into vicious paths; I shall therefore climb up the neighbouring Kadamba tree and jump down into the pool".

Parāçara said:—Having thus thought within himself he bound his clothes tightly about him and jumped boldly into the pool of the serpent-king. The huge lake was agitated as soon as he fell into it, and the waves raised thereby began to sprinkle the distant trees, which being touched by the water and wind, thus poisoned, were immediately set on fire, and the whole horizon was ablaze. Having dived into the lake, Krishna struck his arms defiantly. Hearing that noise the serpent-king immediately issued out—whose eyes were coppery and hoods were flaming with deadly venom. He was encircled by many other powerful and poisonous snakes living upon air and hundreds of serpent-nymphs adorned with rich ornaments, whose earrings glittered with brilliance as the wearers moved along. Coiling themselves around Krishna, they all bit him with teeth from which fiery poison came out. Beholding him in the lake thus surrounded by serpents, his companions immediately went to Vraja bewailing aloud his fate. "Krishna has foolishly jumped into the lake of the serpent Kāliya, and is being devoured by that serpent-king; do ye come and behold him". Hearing those words, resembling the fall of thunder, the cow-herds and their wives headed by Yasoda, proceeded speedily towards the lake. "Alas where is Krishna gone" cried the wives of the cow-herds greatly bewildered; and Yasoda, terrified, with faltering steps, proceeded quickly. Rāma, gifted with great prowess, Nanda and other cow-herds being anxious to see Krishna, arrived quickly at the bank of the Yamuna and beheld him surrounded by, snakes, possessed by the serpent-king and motionless. O foremost of Munis, looking at the countenance of their son, the cow-herd Nanda and the noble Yasoda became stupified. And the wives of the other cow-herds stricken with grief and keeping, saw him; and with words expressive of fear and affliction, they, out of love towards Keshava, said—"We shall all with Yasoda enter this huge lake of the serpent-king; we shall not be able to go back to Vraja. What is day without the sun, night without the moon, cow without a bull and Vraja without Krishna? Without Krishna we shall not return to Vraja, like unto a pond without water, in his absence, nor shall we roam in the forest. We do not like to live there, even if it be the house of our mothers, where there is not Hari, having the countenance like lotus-petals. How shall we live sorrowfully without beholding Hari in pasture having eyes resembling full-blown lotus-petals? We shall not go back to the house of Nanda in Gokula without the lotus-eyed Krishna, who with his pleasant conversation has stolen all our hearts. O ye cow-herds! behold, Krishna is still casting smiling looks upon us, although he is encircled by snakes engaged by the serpent-king".